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Historically, the comparative merits of the tiger versus the lion was a popular topic of discussion by hunters, naturalists, artist and poets, and it continues to inspire the popular imagination in the present day. Lions and tigers have competed in the wild where their ranges have overlapped.They have also been pitted against each other in captivity,either as deliberate contests or as a result of accidental encounters.
Comparative profiles of the lion and tiger
The Amur or Siberian tiger is the largest subspecies of the Panthera genus,known to weigh up to 800Ibs (360kg), while large African lions weigh up to 550Ibs (250kg). Average weight males is 181kg for African lion, 221.2kg for bengal tiger and 230kg for siberian tiger.
Temperament
The tiger is a solitary hunter while the lion is a social animal, living and hunting in groups called prides. Though lions cooperate in hunting, the pride is very competitive during feeding. Weaker animals are pushed aside or chased off. The competitive nature of this social structure makes the the lion more prone to fighting, especially males whose very lives depend on getting pride of their own. The tiger is very quick so keepers of captive tigers must take care to avoid sudden attack.
Accidental fights in captivity
In historical accounts where the lions and tigers have fought in captivity, the tiger often come out the victor. The most recent account happened on march 2011, where a tiger at Ankara zoo attacked a ion through its enclosure and killed the lion with a single paw swipe.
Comparative profiles of the lion and tiger
The Amur or Siberian tiger is the largest subspecies of the Panthera genus,known to weigh up to 800Ibs (360kg), while large African lions weigh up to 550Ibs (250kg). Average weight males is 181kg for African lion, 221.2kg for bengal tiger and 230kg for siberian tiger.
Temperament
The tiger is a solitary hunter while the lion is a social animal, living and hunting in groups called prides. Though lions cooperate in hunting, the pride is very competitive during feeding. Weaker animals are pushed aside or chased off. The competitive nature of this social structure makes the the lion more prone to fighting, especially males whose very lives depend on getting pride of their own. The tiger is very quick so keepers of captive tigers must take care to avoid sudden attack.
Accidental fights in captivity
In historical accounts where the lions and tigers have fought in captivity, the tiger often come out the victor. The most recent account happened on march 2011, where a tiger at Ankara zoo attacked a ion through its enclosure and killed the lion with a single paw swipe.
